Refractory graphite and method of producing the same



, h r h 1 Patented Feb, 27, 1968 is an integer or possesses a value from 1 to 6, and z is an 3,370,967 REFRACTORY GRAPHITE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME I Robert T. Ellis, Kenmore, and Leslie H. Juel, Lewiston,

N.Y., assignors to Great Lakes Carbon Corporation, 5 h (NH4)2O'5B2O3'8H2O;.r expressed in an alterna' New York, NY, a corporation of Delaware Y manner formula (NHilzBmom'sHzo' No Drawing Filed Oct 5, 1964, s 401,649 g It should be understood at the outset that our inven- 9 Chims, (CL 10 56 tron contemplates a treatment by various techniques of previously formed, massive graphite bodies so as to deposit This invention relates to refractory and oxidation-resist- 10 the inorganic a m-monium boron compound within the inant graphite articles. The invention is particularly ap- 'ternal and/0r surface pores of the base material as distinplicable to graphite electrodes which are used to conduct guished from adding the compound to a green carbon current in electric furnaces, but also pertains to massive mix. followed y baking and gr phi izingu h dies ingraphite mold stock for the pouring or casting of molten elude fibrous materials such as previously referred to. metals and other hot molten compositions, etc. The in- 5 Typical graphite bodies which are treated according to vention also pertains to graphite articles or bodies of a DUI novel Process are described, 38 t0 their ds 0f fibrous nature or having a fibrous structure such as yarn, manufacture and Properties, in Mantell, Industrial tape, felt, filaments and cloth, etc. which have been baked b011, Second Edition, 1946, Particularly in chapters XIII- d hi i XVI. Pages 207216 in chapter XIII are particularly per- The invention particularly relates to such graphite elec- '[lneflt- However, the methods of manufacturing these t d or b di hi h h b t t d i h a ub graphite bodies form no part of this invention. Ordinarily, stance (to be described hereinafter) which materially re the graphitized bodies which y be treated according to duces the oxidation which ordinarily takes place during our novel Process Will have an apparent density h use of h electrodes or bodieg cmfi) in excess of 1.5 and preferably 1.6 to 1.8. The higher It is well known that graphite electrodes used in furnace densltles 0f the graphltlled bodies are normally achieved work are comparatively short lived, due to the fact that y Pitch p g g gas-baked carbon bodies, f ll w they oxidize readily at the high temperatures which obby gFaPhltlZatiOH- tain within the furnace. The electrodes rapidly lose weight The tmatmehl of the graphite y Wltll the inorganic and they become tapered or pointed, thus losing perhaps "jimmohlum boron Compound may be aficomplished y Q of the on-ginal electrodes cross sectional area ious techniques according to our invention. Eminently b f b i i to Support the arc their primary f satisfactory results and prolonged service-life of the final tion. The loss of graphite at points remote from the are material am achieved impregnation This y be is also objectionable from the standpoint of reduction in Cohlpllshed y P g e graphite body in a container Strength f the electrode" which is subsequently evacuated to about 2530 inches o i g losses l Occur in Such cases as in the 03% mercury After several minutes a solution or suspension of ing of iused alumina, where the molten or hot composition the Inorganic ammonium 011 p d is mitted it elf x t an idi i eff t upon the graphite A180, after which the vessel is pressurized to effect partial or the erosion effect of molten metals upon graphite is quite total lmpl'eghatlofl 0f the P Alternatively, and where pmilol-mced, particularly in an oxidizing atmosphere complete penetration or impregnation is not essential or Yanous attempts have been made to improve the Prop 40 necessary, the base graphite body can be coated with the times of g phite to render it more resistant to oxidacomllouhd by hnlshh'lg p y g) or soaked with tion, Fo example, i h been the practice to reduce the solutions or suspensions of same so as to deposit the in- P Y of a graphite y by employing an impregnation Organ: ammonium boron mpound in the surfac and/ operation at some point during its manufacture with a or sub-surface pores of the graphite body. Depositing in carbonaceous material such as tar or pitch from coal or h Surface P ls also meant to connote the applicapetroleum sources, or with certain natural or synthetic of flow of the lhorgahlh ammonium bOYOII c0111- resmous compositions. Such techniques have provided only Pouncl the lhlelsllces en Various filaments of a partial solution to th bl I addition, they are g aphite fibrous materials or between yarns of graphite more expensive because of the extra processing involved. Cloth w Alternatively" a Combination of the foregoing It has also been proposed to impregnate graphite with methods can be p y but it should be noted that phosphoric acid. While this reduces the oxidation of i these treatments are integral With e p ocess of graphite at low temperatures, it has been found that such producmg i graphite y itself, b t are carried out treatment actually catalyzes oxidation at temperatures in subsequent its formationexcess of 600 C. A further disadvantage of the use of embodiment of the invention an aqueous th i mpregnant is the corrosive nature of the phosphoric Solution containing 20% by Weight 0f thfi I act a It is an object of this invention to provide novel mate- (NH4)2B10O168H2O rials of construction based upon graphite.

It is a further ject of the invention to provide masand i 'il (for example, O Wetting Sive graphite bodies having improved resistance to oxida a is to a P usly evacuated vessel t tion, or articles having improved resistance to erosion by i l pleces of massive graphite having an pp molten metals or improved resistance to hot chemicals density Of about The system ls then P ed which normally oxidize graphite at about 100 lbs. per square inch for 15 minutes. After The above objects as well as others which will become 31 from the Solution and ng ff the excess apparent upon understanding of the invention as herein i f the graphite can used directly ln Several pdescribed are achieved by impregnating or depositing in phcahons; however in some cases, or for some purposes, the pores of a previously formed massive graphite body it is preferable to dry the resulting graphite pieces, such a composition comprised essentially of an inorganic amas y heating them at C for Several hours and the monium boron compound having the empirical formula heatmg to constant "Weight at a temperature f 250 C.

x(NH4)20.y(B2O3) zH20 The resulting article forms an excellent mold or casting wherein x is an integer or possesses a value from I to 3 y integer or possesses a value from 0 to 10. A preferred material embraced within the foregoing class of compounds is ammonium pentaborate octahydrate having the for stock in the pouring of fused alumina, glass, pig iron and other molten metals,

Graphite articles treated in the foregoing or in. a similar manner with, for example (NH hB O tiH O, as to secure a pickup of from 0.4 to 24 weight percent of the salt possessed considerably improved resistance to oxida. tion as compared to corresponding untreated articles or controls. The following tables illustrate these improvements, as well as other aspects of the invention. such as processing techniques, etc,

A number of graphite samples, in. the form of cubes about one inch on a side, were cut from a standard 20 inch diameter graphite electrode and then soaked in an aqueous solution of Ammonium Pentaborate Octahy drate (APB), The solution contained 20% APB by weight, plus 0.1% Fisher Scientific Co. Aerosol, as a wet-- ting agent. The solution temperature was held constant at 52 C, The initial temperature of the graphite sample was varied as was the soaking time, A. minute soak of a sample initially at room temperature resulted in a pickup of 0.4% by weight of APB, Pickups of 1.2 and 2.4% were obtained by soaking samples initially at 52 C. for 1-0 and 30 minutes respectively, The samples, so treated, having pickups of 0.4, 1,2 and 2.4%, together with a number of untreated or control samples, were subjected to an oxidation test by placing in a muflie turnace maintained at 700 (3, Oxygen was admitted to the furnace at a rate of about 0.5 liters per minute per sample and at various intervals of time the samples were removed from the furnace, cooled and weighed, Each sample was oxidized with its control immediately adjacent;

The results obtained are expressed in Table I in terms of percent weight. loss for the treated graphite as com-= pared to the corresponding percent weight loss for the untreated graphite,

TABLE L-FEROENT WEIGHT LOSS OF GRAPHITE SAM- PLES AT 700 C IN OXYGEN Percent Pickup of APB Percent Weight Loss 0.0H ..,.,.,.fl.. .m 2O 0.4, 10 14 16 17 19 20 1.2.. 10 13 16 19 20 21 2.4,.,..,. 7 l0 i3 15 16 17 It was also found that graphite articles treated in the foregoing manner (e.g., with (NH B O ;*8H O to effect a weight pickup of about 0.4 to about 14%) con tinue to offer improved oxidation resistance up to at. least 1400' C, as illustrated in Table IL TABLE [1' Temperature of APB Content, Time, in Minutes,

Oxidation Percent to 20% Weight Loss "700 Cubans. M" 0 360 2 700 1,000" C M. O 37 2 1,400 O .e 0 15 2 26 wherein x is an integer from 1 to 3, y is an integer from 1 to 6, and z is an integer from 0 to 10.

Included among the compounds embraced within the empirical formula are the following compounds:

The solubility of the inorganic ammonium boron compound in. solvents such as water will vary depending upon a number of factors such as the particular compound or solvent used, and their particular solubility relationship, and temperatures, etc, Preferred treating (such as impregnation) results are generally obtained by using a heated solvent. (when dissolving, or suspending, the inorganic ammonium boron compound) and also by using heated graphite articles when treating same, However, the solvents (or solutions) or graphite articles will rarely be above (I, when the dissolving or treating steps are carried out, Temperatures as low as or lower than 5 C, for either of these steps will seldom. be employed or encountered, although temperatures in this region are sometimes operative for effecting small percentage pickups of the inorganic ammonium boron compound in the graphite article,

Solution or suspension concentrations of from 5% to 50%, by weight, of the inorganic ammonium boron compound are typically employed in this invention, depending upon. the particular compound and/or solvent used, and temperatures employed, etc.; the higher concentrations generally being obtained at the higher solvent temperatures just discussed, These concentrations gen erally result in percentage-pick-ups of from about 0.1% to about. 5% by weight of the inorganic ammonium boron compound in the graphite article, although this will also be affected by such factors as the porosity of the graphite article, the temperatures obtaining during the treatment, the treatment time employed, etc.

Pick-up percentages may also be increased by employ ing auxiliary aids such as wetting agents, or by employing multiple impregnations or treatments; and such procedures are within the scope of the invention, The use of mixtures of inorganic ammonium boron compounds or of mixed solutions, etc., of difierent inorganic ammoninm boron compounds are also within the scope of the invention,

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific examples which have been offered merely as illustrative and that modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention,

We claim:

i, A, graphite article of improved resistance to oxidation having deposited at least in the surface pores of a previously formed, massive, graphite article at least about 0.1% by weight of an inorganic ammonium boron compound having the empirical formula.

-17(:N':H4)20 y 2 3) z z wherein x is an integer from i to 3, y is an integer from 1 to 6, and z is an integer from 0 to 10.

2, A graphite article of improved resistance to oxida tion having deposited at least in the surface pores of a previously formed, massive, graphite article at least about 0.1% by weight of an inorganic ammonium boron com-- pound selected from the group consisting of:

3 A graphite article of improved resistance to oxida tion having deposited at least in the surface pores of a previously formed, massive, graphite article at least about 0.1% by weight of the inorganic ammonium boron com pound ('NH O-5B O =8H O,

4. A graphite article according to claim '1 wherein said article has an apparent density between about 1.5 and about 1.8 g./cc. prior to adding the inorganic ammonium boron compound thereto,

5. A method for producing a refractory article of im= proved resistance to oxidation which comprises deposit- 5 ing at least in the surface pores of previously formed, massive, graphite article at least about 0.1% by weight of an inorganic ammonium boron compound having the empirical formula ing at least in the surface pores of a previously formed, 1

massive, graphite article at least about 01% by weight of the inorganic boron compound (NH OSB O -8H Q 7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the graphite article has an apparent density between about 1.5 and about 1.8 g./cc. prior to adding the thereto, and wherein the mng osa o sn o is in a water solution;

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the water solution also contains a wetting agent,

9. Amethod according to claim 7 wherein the solution employed is at a temperature between about 5 C. and

5 about 100 C and wherein the graphite article is at a temperature between about 5 C and about 100 C References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,566,409 12/1925 Lavene -l l0656 2,949,430 8/1960 Jorgensen l0656 2,987,488 6/1961 Clark 10656 15 TOBIAS E. LEVOW, Primary Examiner.

HELEN Ml MCCARTHY, Examiner J. E POER, Assistant Examiner 

1. A GRAPHITE ARTICLE OF IMPROVED RESISTANCE TO OXIDATION HAVING DEPOSITED AT LEAST IN THE SURFACE PORES OF A PREVIOUSLY FORMED, MASSIVE, GRAPHITE ARTICLE AT LEAST ABOUT 0.1% BY WEIGHT OF AN INORGANIC AMMONIUM BORON COMPOUND HAVING THE EMPIRICAL FORMULA 